Author Topic: Poppy the Cockapoo!  (Read 54143 times)

border-rider

Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #50 on: 13 August, 2010, 02:45:30 pm »
Yes.

First kittens we've had, but to be honest we knew this was about the only time we could do it.  I don't have any overseas trips for a while, for the first time for many years, I've just done my target ride for the year (Mille Cymru) and we're living in a tatty rented house with tatty old furniture (ours) pending moving.

Kittens it is :)

<sorry for thread hijack; back to dogs>

Clare

  • Is in NZ
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #51 on: 16 August, 2010, 07:31:14 pm »
Here are some pics of Poppy today - she is now 10 weeks old.




meeep

 :D



Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #52 on: 16 August, 2010, 08:19:31 pm »
Looks like a lovely pup  :)

Do cockapoodles or whatever they are called need clipped?

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #53 on: 16 August, 2010, 08:51:32 pm »
I think Cockapoos do need clipping but I haven't looked into that yet - I have a dog groomer neighbour so no doubt she can advise me.

I'd forgotten how much hard work a puppy is (nothing compared to children, I know, but I've never had children) and I've been quite down at times about things. Today was a bad day where I considered whether I should return her to the breeder or sell her to someone else but James thinks this is just tiredness/stress/anxiety speaking and that Poppy is a really good little doggie who will have a good life with us.
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


jogler

  • mojo operandi
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #54 on: 16 August, 2010, 09:01:17 pm »


I'd forgotten how much hard work a puppy is (nothing compared to children, I know, but I've never had children)

If I had known 34 years ago what I know now,I would have had 2 dogs instead of two children. ;D

Just kidding son(my daughter won't see this 'cause she doesn't visit here)Love you to bits :thumbsup:

Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #55 on: 16 August, 2010, 09:04:48 pm »
Today was a bad day where I considered whether I should return her to the breeder or sell her to someone else but James thinks this is just tiredness/stress/anxiety speaking and that Poppy is a really good little doggie who will have a good life with us

 :( Why, what's been happening today? Takes quite a long time for things to settle.

My parents are in the habit of taking in frankly rather disturbed rescue dogs; can be very hard work but worth it.

JT

  • Howay the lads!
    • CTC Peterborough
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #56 on: 16 August, 2010, 10:19:05 pm »
There must be something in the air because we've had a difficult evening here with The Ted. While playing he turned on Mrs JT and bit her face, drawing blood, and then went mental when I tried to pick him up to put him in his pen.

He'll be able to go out after Saturday and is going to training classes from Monday so hopefully he'll begin to calm down as he seems to get very over-excited at times.
a great mind thinks alike

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #57 on: 17 August, 2010, 11:18:33 am »
I've had a weird up-and-down two weeks with Poppy. She's a lovely little dog and clearly fairly bright (she's mostly house-trained and fine in her crate) but she's doing the usual puppy biting and growling and it's really got me down. I've had several mornings where I've just lain in bed feeling sorry for myself whilst James looks after Poppy. Then it got better last Friday and I felt good about it all, followed by another bad day yesterday where I talked with James about whether we should give Poppy up to someone else. I know it's hard work with a puppy but I hadn't realised how much stress it would cause me, and I'm worried I'll pass my anxiety on to Poppy who is otherwise very well adjusted.

James thinks we should keep her, that she's fine, and he's being brill at looking after her whilst I'm feeling gloomy. But I just wish I could get over this and enjoy her more - at the moment I feel like I have made a big mistake getting another dog.

She has her second jabs tomorrow which means she can go out in a week's time which I am sure will improve matters a little. But eight days seems a long time...
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #58 on: 17 August, 2010, 11:28:33 am »
Don't despair Helen...being able to go out will improve matters enormously, I'll bet.

At the age of ten, Cam is no puppy, but she is still a massive PITA if for any reason she doesn't get her two walks a day - as a rescue she has her own 'issues' and if she doesn't burn off all that nervous/anxious energy she gets all attention-seeking and keeps pawing at me and whining, etc.

A bit of exercise/somewhere new to explore may work wonders for Poppy.

Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #59 on: 17 August, 2010, 03:11:17 pm »
Hope you soon feel better. Sounds like you have the canine equivalent of post natal depression! Once you can take her on exciting walks she will sleep more (and more deeply) leaving you free to ride your bike with all the associated endorphins to make you feel good. In a few more weeks you will feel like she has always been there and she will be settled and integrated into your life so much you won't be able to imagine her not being there. Hang on in there .. I'm sure things will soon get very much better!

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #60 on: 17 August, 2010, 03:28:08 pm »
I wondered if there is such a thing as post-puppy depression, and whether the lack of cycling (100 miles this month - this time last month I'd done 550) is having an effect on my mood.

Poppy just fell asleep in my arms on the swing outside and was lovely and non-bitey and such moments are very precious; I just tend to feel really dodgy in the mornings and evenings. Today James has done almost all the Poppy-care, leaving me to loaf around upstairs, and I think that has helped.

Tomorrow is second vaccinations and a week later she'll be out and about.

Oh, and if anyone wants to come and visit her in her cute puppy phase, get in touch!
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #61 on: 24 August, 2010, 11:45:00 am »
All going pretty well with Poppy now. Tomorrow is the Big Day when she can go out for her first walk. We've practised some on-lead training around the garden but it's not the same as out in the Big Wide World.

Here she is today asleep on me on the garden swing chair after a short 1.5 mile cycle ride.



My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #62 on: 27 August, 2010, 01:45:08 pm »
Today Poppy is 12 weeks old and we decided to take her to visit the marina and sit on our uncle's boat (our boat is currently out of the water having some repairs done). My husband would like Poppy to be a seadog to accompany him on some of his sailing trips in due course.

Here is Poppy with James


Poppy looking at the North Sea


After lunch in the cockpit, Poppy gets the yoghurt pot


Mmmm, I want to get to the bottom of the pot


Rather messy now!
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #63 on: 01 September, 2010, 08:30:11 pm »
After a successful trip on the boat along the river for half an hour yesterday, Poppy was very tired. Here she is in her crate:



And here she is being weighed today, 2.75kg at almost 13 weeks old.

My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #64 on: 08 September, 2010, 10:11:35 am »
Poppy is almost 14 weeks and now weighs 3kg.

Here she is asleep in Lucy the Weimaraner's bed.





Yesterday I went to the first dog training class which was without doggies (an introductory session). I chatted to a lady next to me who had also felt very similar to me, i.e. very low when she got the dog and thinking she had made a mistake. She was so relieved to find out someone else felt the same. I'm feeling much better about Poppy now, mainly because she goes out and about with us to various places (went in the trailer to the pub last night, for example).
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #65 on: 08 September, 2010, 10:39:29 am »
That's such good news. Sounds like you're over the hump and have lots of fun with Poppy in store  :thumbsup:

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #66 on: 08 September, 2010, 10:52:40 am »
Yep, I'm feeling pretty much back to normal with a few caveats. I have booked up a concert in December which will be fun and I have some other stuff in my diary. The slightly better weather helps, as does getting more sleep (Poppy regularly sleeps 10 hours at night now; I wish we could get her - and ourselves - to stay up past 10pm though as we're getting up at 7am which feels rather early!)

It was a bit of a shock how much Poppy affected my mood in the first 3-4 weeks and the fact that I considered rehoming her (and had an offer from someone to take her) was pretty significant. However it's pretty clear she will be a lovely dog and I'm looking forward to her growing up and enjoying life with us.
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #67 on: 08 September, 2010, 12:05:34 pm »
It was a bit of a shock how much Poppy affected my mood in the first 3-4 weeks and the fact that I considered rehoming her (and had an offer from someone to take her) was pretty significant. However it's pretty clear she will be a lovely dog and I'm looking forward to her growing up and enjoying life with us.
Post natal puppy depression?
I'm glad it's worked itself out.  :-*

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #68 on: 08 September, 2010, 01:56:48 pm »
There are hits on Google for post-puppy depression; it does seem to be a common thing.

She's doing so well but just did a wee at the top of the stairs; we think we've cracked housetraining (she's not done anything in the house for four days), then you get an odd one like that. Still it's easy to clean - poos in the house are much harder work but we haven't had one of those for three weeks, phew!
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #69 on: 09 September, 2010, 10:31:14 pm »
Today we took Poppy sailing and she wore her new lifejacket.







Here she is with the skipper:

My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #70 on: 09 September, 2010, 10:49:52 pm »
Glad to read that it seems things are settling  :)

How did she take to sailing?

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #71 on: 10 September, 2010, 12:43:14 am »
Like an old sea dog, me hearty!
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #72 on: 10 September, 2010, 10:34:20 am »
She's fine with sailing (well, motoring, for half an hour) but was less comfortable this time as the lifejacket is very restrictive. She's like a sausage in it, can't really bend her side, and it meant she couldn't lie down very well. We will get her to wear the lifejacket around the house for a bit and maybe bend it a bit with our hands to soften it.

We took the lifejacket off her for the last fifteen minutes and she settled much better. Overall she's fine though.
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk


Re: We're getting a new puppy!
« Reply #73 on: 10 September, 2010, 11:40:45 am »
Dogs and cats in lifejackets always make me chuckle. :)

The handle on the back always looks very convenient, although I guess it's really there for ease of lifting the animal out of the water, should it manage to get in.

Given Poppy's size, I imagine she's wearing the same one that a cat would wear?  I could see a moggy getting very annoyed with that limited amount of manoeuvrability!
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

Auntie Helen

  • 6 Wheels in Germany
Poppy the Cockapoo puppy!
« Reply #74 on: 10 September, 2010, 11:43:16 am »
The handle is so that you can hook her with a boathook if she goes overboard - and, of course, to then lift her by hand as you bring her back to the boat. The reason I liked this lifejacket is it had a full neoprene area over the tummy so you're not lifting them on two thin straps (like the lifejacket we had for our labrador). However it does make it a rather rigid tube so we'll be wearing it on our arms/knees for a bit to soften it up, I think.
My blog on cycling in Germany and eating German cake – http://www.auntiehelen.co.uk